Oak Park police charge man connected to car crash death

Chicago man accused of reckless homicide and aggravated DUI

Tonya Gary leaves a message for her cousin, Joy Tyus, who died in a car crash Saturday night in Oak Park | Photo by Timothy Inklebarger

Joy Tyus | Photo provided

Pierre Shelton and Joy Tyus | Photo provided by Gabrielle Riley

Kendall R. Harrison | Photo provided by Oak Park Police Department

Photo of Joy Tyus' vehicle, which was broadsided by another vehicle at the intersection of South Boulevard and Ridgeland Avenue at around 10:30 p.m. on March 9. | Submitted by John Roberts

Lonzell Moore leaves a message for Joy Tyus, who died in a car crash Saturday night in Oak Park | Photo by Timothy Inklebarger

Photo by Timothy Inklebarger

A Pieritz Brothers Inc. employee cleans in and around the business, which was damaged by a car crash that took place on Saturday, March 9. | Photo by Timothy Inklebarger

Deborah Pieritz, co-owner of Pieritz Brothers Inc., shows where a vehicle damaged the stoplight pole in front of her business. Debris from the car crash shattered several windows at her storefront. | Photo by Timothy Inklebarger

Deborah Pieritz, co-owner of Pieritz Brothers Inc., works to clean up glass and debris from the car crash that shattered several windows at her storefront. | Photo by Timothy Inklebarger

Deborah Pieritz, co-owner of Pieritz Brothers Inc., works to clean up glass and debris from the car crash that shattered several windows at her storefront. | Photo by Timothy Inklebarger

Oak Park Police Department have charged a Chicago man with one count of reckless homicide and two counts of aggravated driving under the influence in connection with a car crash over the weekend that left one person dead and another seriously injured.

Police announced March 11 that they have charged Kendall R. Harrison, 25, of the 1300 block of North Washtenaw Avenue, Chicago. He remains in custody and will appear at a bond hearing on March 12 at the Maybrook courthouse in Maywood.

Harrison was taken into custody on Saturday, March 9, after crashing an SUV into a vehicle driven by Austin resident Joy Tyus at about 10:30 p.m. near the intersection of South Boulevard and Ridgeland Avenue.

Tyus, 28, was a lifelong resident of the Austin neighborhood of Chicago, according to a relative.

She and her boyfriend, Pierre Shelton, 30, were headed from Austin to her uncle's house in Berwyn, when they were broadsided at the intersection of South Boulevard and Ridgeland Avenue by an SUV allegedly fleeing Oak Park police.

Tyus and Shelton were taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where Tyus, the driver, was pronounced dead. Shelton sustained multiple fractures and was placed on life support.

Oak Park police said in a press release that Harrison was taken into custody shortly after the crash. Police noted that the officer "had not initiated a chase when the SUV struck the sedan."

Harrison was driving an SUV westbound on South Boulevard when he was pulled over by police at about 10:30 p.m. near South Boulevard and Humphrey Avenue. Police did not say why the man was stopped by a patrol officer.

As the officer approached the vehicle, Harrison reportedly sped away and ran a red light at the corner of South and Ridgeland, striking the four-door sedan driven by Tyus that was headed south on Ridgeland.

Tyus' vehicle appears to have collided with the stoplight pole at the southwest corner of the intersection and came to rest adjacent to Pieritz Brothers Inc., 401 South Blvd., an office supply business.

By Monday morning, March 11, loved ones had created a makeshift memorial on a utility box outside the business, featuring balloons, stuffed animals and messages to Tyus.

"Love you, Joy. Until we meet again" and "I will miss you so much" were among the messages written on a sign at the memorial.

Tyus' cousin, Tonya Gary, was at the memorial Monday morning with loved one Lonzell Moore, who left messages for Tyus.

Gary tearfully described Tyus as "a loving person" and "down to earth." She said Tyus was traveling from Austin to a gathering at Gary's father's house in Berwyn on the night of the accident.

The family was not notified about the accident until the early morning of March 10, she said.

Bernita Brown, Tyus' aunt, said in a telephone interview that Tyus had just recently graduated from the University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy, where she majored in journalism. She also had completed an internship at WGCI-FM radio.

"She was quiet, she was very smart and she was kind and willing to help anyone who needed help," Brown said, adding that Tyus helped out as a caretaker for her grandmother.

Shelton, also an Austin resident, is still in critical condition at Loyola, according to his sister, Gabrielle Riley. She said he is in a medically induced coma and on a ventilator. Riley said he is suffering from multiple fractures and internal bleeding.

"The swelling is decreasing, but everything is moving at a slow process; it's a waiting game to see what's going to happen," she said.

Shelton's younger brother and roommate, Deandre Hampton, said Shelton is a warehouse worker who operates a forklift.

"He's a warm-hearted loving person and a father," he said.

The collision resulted in considerable damage to the storefront windows of Pieritz Brothers. Several windows were boarded up following the incident.

Deborah Pieritz, co-owner of the business, said glass was everywhere in the storefront, but neither of the vehicles appears to have directly struck with the structure.

Pieritz said she was called out on Saturday night after the wreck and saw that the driver's side of the victim's vehicle was completely destroyed.

"There were car parts all over the place," she said.

Pieritz said she believes that the SUV damaged storefront windows a few shops down from the intersection. She noted that the SUV appears to have collided with two parked vehicles on South Boulevard as well.

Brown said funeral services for Tyus will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. and 11 a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 16, at Pleasant Ridge Missionary Baptist Church, 116 S. Central Ave. Visitation is on Friday, March 15, from 3 to 6 p.m.

Given the description the aunt of Joy Tyus has given of this young woman and her accomplishments at such a young age, the world can ill-afford to lose a young person like this with so much promise. I am so sorry for this family and hope that they will find find comfort in the love and support of their family, friends and the community, comfort that will sustain them in the aftermath of this sudden tragic loss and upheaval in their lives. Joy Tyus's parents obviously raised a wonderful young woman.

Ken Hayes from Oak Park Facebook Verified

Posted: March 11th, 2019 1:40 PM

Rest in peace. There is only one person responsible for this accident. Hopefully the officers involved don't feel any blame and when the victims family sues, hopefully it's only the driver of the suv, not the police or the village.

Michael Nowicki Facebook Verified

Posted: March 11th, 2019 1:20 PM

This is so very sad.

Barbara Purington from Oak Park Facebook Verified

Posted: March 11th, 2019 1:19 PM

Just tragic; such a young person. It could have been any of us driving through that intersection, traveling from Ridgeland Commons or the high school. My condolences to her relatives and friends. RIP, Joy Tyus.

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